On Drake's new hit "Best I Ever Had"

There are a lot of cookie-cutter hits out there. Songs that don't deserve to be noticed, yet somehow manage to make it onto the radio.

But then, sometimes, a real gem comes along. A song that is truly epic. A genuine hit.

"Best I Ever Had" by Drake is one of those songs.

I mean, give it a listen. You'll immediately understand.

The first thing that struck me about the song was Drakes ability to construct a cohesive backing track for his vocals. Listen to the introduction (0:00). Notice the way the instruments blend together into a seamless, unified wall of sound devoid of the freakishly unsettling starts and stops other artists seem unable to escape. This is a man who doesn't need to disguise that starts of his loops with cymbal crashes.

And the beats (0:12). There are few artists who truly understand complex polyrhythms and subtlety. Drake is one of them. Listen to the drum track. While other artists are content to lay down an annoyingly loud and distorted kick paired with out-of-time snare hits, Drake understands the value of a carefully-constructed beat that truly drives the song.

But even a beautifully-produced song is worthless if the lyrics cannot hold up under scrutiny. This fact is not lost on our young poet, who has crafted verses that speak volumes in only a few lines. A true minimalist. A champion among underachievers:

I say you the fucking best.
You the fucking best.
You the fucking best.
You the fucking best.
You the best i ever had.
Best I ever had.
Best I ever had.
Best I ever had.

And the delivery. Some artists simply do not know how to impart emotion in their vocals. Their lines come off as lazy and unscripted, as if they rolled out of bed and recorded them in the bathroom, between brushing their teeth and taking a shower. But Drake never stoops to that level. Even his backing vocals are inspired (0:53).

The bottom line: this is a song that truly deserves to be a hit. Just listen to it. The man is a master at his craft. Other musicians should take note of Drake's performance. Maybe even emulate a few of his tricks in future recordings.

Because, when you think about it, this truly is the future of popular music.